Full Time Canadahttp://fulltimecanada.ca
Working, Playing & Full-Time RVing Across CanadaFri, 01 Feb 2019 03:14:03 +0000en-CAhourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.3Tech Hacks for the Full-Time RVerhttp://fulltimecanada.ca/tech-hacks-for-the-full-time-rver/
http://fulltimecanada.ca/tech-hacks-for-the-full-time-rver/#respondMon, 14 Jan 2019 20:48:55 +0000http://fulltimecanada.ca/?p=3091The following article is provided by Outdoorsy Full-time RVers are faced with daily challenges including maintenance and repairs of the RV, getting reliable networking and communications services and finding or navigating…

Full-time RVers are faced with daily challenges including maintenance and repairs of the RV, getting reliable networking and communications services and finding or navigating to your next destination. Technology can be a great asset when faced with those challenges. Following are several RV tech hacks that a full-time RVer can tap into to make life in the road a little less challenging.

Battery Maintenance

For your devices to work consistently, you have to keep power flowing to them. That means properly maintaining your batteries. The Black and Decker BC15BD 15 Amp Bench Battery Charger is a small, lightweight charger that has a battery reconditioning mode which will regenerate your house batteries to keep them in top operating condition. Like running an equalization charge, the recondition mode de-sulfates the plates in your batteries. This raises the specific gravity in the electrolyte and gives tired batteries more storage capacity. Unlike an equalization charge, it is safe to use in gel or sealed batteries and does not create dangerous boiling conditions or excessive heat in wet lead-acid batteries. The charger can also charge your house or tow vehicle batteries and do alternator checks to make sure your RV is ready to go when you are.

Black and Decker BC15BD 15 Amp Bench Battery Charger

Wi-fi Router and
Network Repeater

A Wi-fi router and network repeater combination allows you to create your own internal wireless network within your RV. The repeater feature allows your Wi-fi router to connect to an outside network, like the RV park’s Wi-fi, to gain access to the internet. This has several advantages over simply connecting to the park’s Wi-fi directly. If your park only allows one device to connect to their Wi-fi, the repeater can be that one device. Multiple devices from your internal network can connect to the router and share that single connection to the park Wi-fi. All the devices connected to the Wi-fi router can also share data within your network without having to go through the internet. This is much safer and faster. A good example of this technology is an Alfa R36 USB Wi-fi wireless router coupled with an Alfa AWUS036NH Wi-fi USB Link and antenna.

Full Time Canada Tip: WiFi Ranger is a great addition to your RV to help boost nearby WiFi signals

Alfa R36 USB Wi-fi wireless router

Digital Multimeter

Troubleshooting electrical issues in an RV is extremely difficult without a way to reliably test electrical circuits. A digital multimeter is a must have on the road. When selecting one, make sure it can work in the ranges which your RV runs. Most RVs and tow vehicles have a 12V DC side and RVs generally also have 120V AC side. Some RVs may also have 24V or higher battery banks and may use 6V batteries. If you have a solar system, higher DC voltages may present. Ideally, a digital multimeter for full-time RVing should at least work in those ranges and test both AC and DC voltage, current and continuity

Digital Multimeter

USB Charging Stations

A multiport USB charging station can keep several electronic
gadgets charged up and ready to go all from a small, lightweight box that only
uses a single 120V outlet. 10 port Unitek or Tripp Lite charging stations are a
great choice measuring in at about 3” x 6” x 10.5” and weighing only about 2.5
lbs, these units can hold and charge up to 10 devices simultaneously.

USB Charging Station

RV Surge Protector

RV surge protectors are another necessity to keep the power flowing to your tech gadgets while full-time RVing. It is best to choose a unit that does more than just surge protection. At a minimum, they should also test for common circuit faults at the pedestal like open neutral, open grounds or dropped legs in 50-amp service. Detecting and avoiding these faults will protect both you and your rig from dangerous electrical conditions.

Full Time Canada Tip: Read more about how our surge protector possibly saved our RV from burning to the ground.

Level Your RV With
Your Phone

There are many bubble level apps available and even some specifically dedicated to RV levelling available for both iPhones and Android devices. Simply place your phone on a flat surface in your RV with the app running to get a current state of how level your RV is. Make adjustments based on that until the app shows you are all leveled up. Some of the dedicated apps even have Bluetooth functionality that will allow you to use a second phone outside to read the level of the phone inside. This allows you to make quick adjustments.

iHandy Level App

Preload Google Maps

If you use google maps for navigation, make sure you
download your map data before venturing out to remote areas. Without a cell
signal, Google maps cannot download the necessary data to function on the fly
and can leave you stranded. Offline map data is easy to download and can even
be stored on an SD card if your phone supports them for later use. Simple
instructions can be found by searching the internet for Google Maps Download
Map Data or Google Maps Navigate Offline.

With these great tips, the full-time RVer can get those most out of their electronics while on the road. These tips will keep you powered up, connected and travelling safely whether you are working, playing or just hanging out.

]]>http://fulltimecanada.ca/tech-hacks-for-the-full-time-rver/feed/0Why You Should Rent Out Your RV with Outdoorsyhttp://fulltimecanada.ca/why-you-should-rent-out-your-rv-with-outdoorsy/
http://fulltimecanada.ca/why-you-should-rent-out-your-rv-with-outdoorsy/#respondSun, 25 Nov 2018 23:05:40 +0000http://fulltimecanada.ca/?p=3078The following article is provided by Outdoorsy You love full-time RVing, but are looking to travel abroad for a while, or you are living somewhere else for work or leisure.…

You love full-time RVing, but are looking to travel abroad for a while, or you are living somewhere else for work or leisure. So, what do you do with your RV when you are not using it? Wouldn’t it make sense to rent it out? Many would agree and could use the extra income, and it would be beneficial to make money on something you are not currently using.

How Can You Rent Your RV to Others?

Renting out your RV when you are not using it doesn’t cross many people’s minds because they have no idea how to go about it. Or they think about it and imagine everything that could go wrong. When looking at your options regarding renting out your RV, there are two ways you can go about it. You can either rent it out privately or use an organization like Outdoorsy.

Private RV Rentals

If you opt to rent it out privately, there are some important factors to consider. At the top of your list are:

How will you advertise?

How will you screen applicants?

How will you deal with accidents or thefts?

To find viable candidates to rent to, you can use the internet or newspaper ads. Top internet sites may include Craigslist or Facebook. Newspaper ads may also be a viable option however, this can be costly and may not accomplish your goals. The downsides to this are:

It takes a lot of your own time.

You are not marketing to a specific camping audience.

You may not actually find someone you are willing to rent your recreational vehicle to in the end.

You will also want to screen all applicants; getting a credit check, background check and driving record check should be at the top of your list. Would you want someone who doesn’t pay their bills, has been in jail or has lost their license due to driving while intoxicated to rent your RV? Probably not, safety first. Running the appropriate checks are imperative but comes at a cost. It can also be time-consuming on your part and, again, you might not find someone worthy of driving your private property.

Insurance liability is another thing to consider. Insurance rates might increase if the renter gets into an accident. What if they do not bring it back? Check with your insurance agent and see what the repercussions of a rental on your insurance policy would be if any of these things should happen.

Finally, to consider, how will you get paid? You will need a credit card reader, or you may limit the number of people who will be able to pay you to rent your RV. You will also need to decide a rate and payment terms, including taking a deposit.

Renting an RV with Outdoorsy

Using an RV rental service, such as Outdoorsy, takes the guesswork out of renting your RV to make extra money.

When people want to rent an RV, they will go to Outdoorsy to see what options are available. This is a specific, target audience that is looking for recreational vehicles to rent. Posting your RV on the site is free, and only when a successful transaction takes place, a small fee is taken out of the profits prior to depositing the agreed upon rental fee into your account.

Outdoorsy screens prospective renters for you. All renters must pass an extensive driving history check. Only those who pass this background check will be able to request to rent your RV. This saves you time and money.

Outdoorsy understands the risk of renting your RV, but they don’t want that to be a deterrent. Outdoorsy provides a $1 million liability insurance policy which covers your RV or trailer whenever it’s being rented. This policy covers both the renter and the owner. You’re also covered for theft and damage, subject to their policies, such as interior damage. Outdoorsy also provides 24/7 roadside assistance should the renter breakdown while travelling with your RV.

How you get paid should not be a deterrent from renting your RV for extra income. Outdoorsy takes the guesswork and stress out of this for you, as well. Within 24 hours after your RV is picked up, Outdoorsy will make a deposit into your bank account for you.

Renting your RV can be a great way to make extra money when you are travelling elsewhere or want a break from full timing. Using a service, such as Outdoorsy makes the process much smoother, with less risk. For full-time RVers having an option to rent their RV when not in use, offers some flexibility

]]>http://fulltimecanada.ca/why-you-should-rent-out-your-rv-with-outdoorsy/feed/0Kayaking The Broken Group with Hello Naturehttp://fulltimecanada.ca/kayaking-the-broken-group-with-hello-nature/
http://fulltimecanada.ca/kayaking-the-broken-group-with-hello-nature/#respondFri, 21 Sep 2018 01:09:27 +0000http://fulltimecanada.ca/?p=3031Up until we moved to Tofino, two years ago, I had never heard of the Broken Group Islands. About 6 months ago, Adam showed me photos of the Broken Group and…

]]>Up until we moved to Tofino, two years ago, I had never heard of the Broken Group Islands. About 6 months ago, Adam showed me photos of the Broken Group and immediately I wanted to go see the beautiful aqua blue waters and white sand beaches, surrounded by pristine rainforest.

Fast forward to July, and we were about to go out on a 5-day kayaking adventure with Hello Nature. I was a bit nervous, wondering if I could handle that many days of paddling and I couldn’t stop thinking about what the bathroom situation was going to be like. Seriously. What was the bathroom situation on these islands? It’s a crazy thought, but one that goes through your head when you’ve never done a trip like this before.

The following is basically a collection of everything that I felt throughout our trip in the Broken Group – the good and the bad. I can tell you that every change in the weather created a new scene, bald eagles were highly entertaining, and the feeling of remoteness was special and at times a bit terrifying if you let your mind wander to something going wrong.

The great thing is that we never actually worried too much on this adventure, because we went with Hello Nature tour guides, Kevin Bradshaw and Isabelle Cliche. Kevin has 18 years of experience paddling in the Broken Group – the most of anyone in the world. Essentially, there’s no one better to escape into the Broken Group with than Kevin and Hello Nature.

DAY 1 – Departing Ucluelet for the Broken Group

We left from Ucluelet shortly after 8am on a water taxi that included our group of 9 people, all of our clothes, food, kayaks and other camping equipment. As we were leaving my mind started to ask many questions. How would everything fit into the small hatches of the kayak? Do they tow a kayak that is just filled with supplies? Did I pack enough socks? How would I survive without my Red Rose tea? Then a fog settled in around us and I wondered what it would be like paddling in the fog for days. At the end of July and particularly in August, the West Coasters call this time of year “Fog-ust.” It’s a regular part of life here. Lots and lots of fog.

Travelling with us was Ilka Vogt and her husband, Arturo Latigo from Vancouver. Also in our group was Heather Hoffman of Chicago, Kathy Powell of Nanaimo and her sister Edith Palumbo from Prince George.

The first island that our group landed on was Wouwer Island. After unloading our water taxi and getting the kayaks on the shore, we quickly learned from Kevin and Isabelle how to pack the kayaks. It’s incredible how much stuff you can put in the hatches of the kayaks. We even had a small guitar with us that Ilka brought along.

We set off paddling just after 10:30 am. I instantly regretted dressing as warm as I did. I was wearing a stay dry shirt and stay dry hoodie. For me, it’s always better to be a bit cool than warm. When we stopped for lunch on Gilbert Island we all peeled off a layer.

Isabelle and Kevin, made lunch which consisted of a crunchy salad with hummus and corn chips. It was simple, filling and healthy. I always find food made by someone else tastes better. Hello Nature prides itself on its meals for one day, multi-day, and weekly kayaking and hiking trips. Their goal is to have delicious food that is healthy and will power you through a day of physical activity. Frank of Hello Nature does the meal prep, while Kevin’s wife Alicia does the baking.

After lunch, we paddled to Turret Island. We went on a small hike with Kevin who showed us some beautiful old-growth trees and provided interesting interpretation on banana slugs. Afterwards, we paddled to the otherside of Turret where we set up camp. Adam and I managed to set up our tent without arguing. I know, we were shocked too.

Dinner was risotto with zucchini, tomatoes, and local salmon with carrot cake dessert. One nice little touch I liked was that there was always tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. I managed without my Red Rose tea and instead had Earl Grey.

That night we had a campfire and got to know our group, while Ilka brought out her guitar and sang to us. Adam and I went off to watch the sunset. It was stunning. That night we went to bed early, as everyone was tired from the fresh air and first day of paddling. I quickly fell asleep listening to the waves and the fog horn.

One of the many beautiful tiny islets in the Broken Group

Campsite on Turret Island

Golden hour in the Broken Group

Soaking up the sunset

DAY 2 – Turret Island | Benson Island

My eyes opened and I knew it was early. I looked up and could see the outline of a banana slug on the tent. Instantly, I had to pee and as I exited the tent banana slugs greeted me everywhere. They are fascinating prehistoric looking creatures. If you are worried about where to go to the bathroom when camping in the Broken Group – don’t be. All the islands that have campsites also have solar composting toilets. So no – you do not have to dig a hole as I thought we may be doing.

Kevin and Isabelle had breakfast made by the time our group met on the beach. Bacon, eggs, and sweet potato hash. Yum. After breakfast we jumped in the now empty kayaks and off we went to paddle by Puffin Island and through a lagoon on Clarke Island.

We made our way to Benson Island and learned all about midden. Midden is the compost from the Tseshaht First Nations people that lived on these islands until the 1960’s. Archaeologists use midden to determine what was eaten and how the First Nations lived. Kevin told us about a complete grey whale skeleton that was found in a midden pile in the Broken Group. The strength and manpower it must have taken to bring that whale up on to the land. It’s mind-blowing really.

We hiked out to a blowhole that was the coolest blowhole I had ever been around. I’ve been near blowholes in Hawaii, Mexico and in Atlantic Canada. This was gigantic in comparison. After the hike we ate roast beef sandwiches and relaxed along the beach.

Wildlife that day was abundant. Sea stars, bald eagles, oyster catchers, pigeon guillemots, stone plovers, Ruddy turnstones, seals and we even saw a tiny deer on one of the islands.

We paddled back to Turrett Island for our second night at camp. After two days of paddling I could feel my arms and shoulders were sore. Adam felt the same.

That night dinner was shrimp pesto with a watermelon, feta, cucumber salad. Our dessert – a pumpkin spice nut cake. I topped it off with a hot chocolate while we sat around the campfire. Once again, Ilka was singing and entertaining us. We were also joined by a gentleman from Scotland who sang Frankie and Johnny and had us all laughing. After a short walk to take in the beautiful sunset, we were in bed by 9pm, falling asleep listening to the birds.

Kate paddling through the Broken Group

Beach stop on Benson Island for lunch

Blowhole on Benson Island

DAY 3 – Willis Island

I awoke as the sun came up and I was starving. Adam and I got up and started to pack up our tent and belongings. It was moving day and we would be setting up camp on another island later in the day.

Kevin and Isabelle had prepared bagels, bacon, eggs, avocado and fried up the left-over roast beef. We made ours into breakfast sandwiches and it was a solid, filling breakfast.

After gathering our things together, Adam and I realized it is important to pack up properly. We didn’t have as much room because we didn’t get the air out of our tent, air mattress, and sleeping bag. A rookie mistake. We should have listened to Kevin. We forced our stuff into the hatches of our kayaks and we were off to Willis Island.

It wasn’t a long paddle and Kevin strategically got us there early so that we could have the smaller but more private campsite on the west end of the island. There is a larger campsite on the east side but he said it sometimes get a bit crowded. Our tent was set up right by the beach. It was a beautiful location.

We had a lovely lunch of chicken Caesar wraps with tomatoes, peppers and lot of freshly grated parmesan. After lunch we took advantage of the beautiful sunshine to have some fun on the beach at Willis Island. The night before all the ladies had shook hands and made a deal that we would go swimming if it was sunny & warm the next day. Kathy was the first in the water. She told me she swims almost daily in Nanaimo. The cool water (14 degrees – if lucky) doesn’t bother her a bit. I was being a chicken about getting in the water so Kathy chased me into the water. Once in the ocean, I started to give myself a scrub with a biodegradable soap my sister had given me. It smelled amazing. I had only been three days, but I was sweaty and a sea bath was necessary. Adam eventually came in too, swimming for the first time in British Columbia waters.

Supper that night was a buddha bowl of tofu, cous cous, beets, carrots and kale. Afterwards, we jumped into the kayaks for a sunset paddle. As we rounded Willis Island, I wondered if it was a mistake, as my arms were sore and the water was a bit choppy. I wasn’t nervous about the waves as I’ve been boating almost my entire adult life. I was simply hoping we wouldn’t be constantly paddling into the wind. Within minutes, though, we turned around the back part of the island where there is a smaller island that caused the water to settle into a sheet of glass. What a difference.

As we went around the east side of the island, the sun could be seen starting to sink into the mountains near Ucluelet. The water was bathed in golden light. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets I had ever witnessed. I don’t know if it was because I was tired and sore, but I became a bit emotional. At that point, Adam and I pulled our kayaks beside each other in the calm water to watch the sun sink down. It was an unforgettable experience.

Kevin & Isabelle preparing a meal for the group

One of our gourmet meals prepared by Kevin & Isabelle

Kayaks taking a break at Willis Island

Kate paddling through the sunset

A group sunset paddle around Willis Island

Paddling into the sun

DAY 4 – Willis Island | Pinkerton Islands | Tiny Group

The next morning I woke up feeling fantastic while listening to the sound of bald eagles chirping. I wasn’t sore, I wasn’t tired, and I was looking forward to the day. Kevin had been up since 6am and had the coffee made. Isabelle put out muffins, granola and yogurt.

As we sat and ate our breakfast we all cheered for a little mink, who escaped the clutches of a bald eagle. The mink had a fish and basically threw it to the eagle to avoid being eaten. It was better than any show on TV.

Our plan for Day 4 was to see as much of the Broken Group as we could. I had yet to see the aqua blue waters I had seen in the pictures Adam showed and as we set out into the fog, I wondered if we would at all. But as quickly as the fog rolls in, it rolls out. It became sunny and beautiful.

We paddled all morning and stopped for lunch just off of Vancouver Island near the Pinkerton Islands. We had paddled quite far and we definitely earned our lunch which consisted of chickpeas, kidney beans, feta, cucumbers, apples and corn.

We ate in a grassy area that is likely a bear estuary in the spring and fall. We watched for bears constantly. After enjoying lunch in such a beautiful, remote setting it was time to gradually make our way back to Willis Island. This was the most challenging paddle of our week. I think I was running on adrenaline. I kept singing songs in my head and we passed the time chatting to one another as we paddled.

Along the way, Kevin told us captivating stories about hiking the West Coast Trail and kayaking trips where he got injured or someone else did. We all loved these stories, as we shook our heads and couldn’t believe our guide was essentially the Canadian version of Bear Grylls.

As we came close to a tiny island in the Tiny Group – I finally saw it. Aqua blue water! I was so excited. We paddled ashore as I watched giant Dungeness crabs in the clear blue water. The crabs were scurrying over the white sand. This was the paradise everyone talked about. We sat down on the sand, looking at the bleached-out shells while eating biscotti and granola bars.

It was sunny, hot, and felt tropical. I wandered into the water up to my knees and loved every minute of it. All of us felt renewed as we paddled home. That day we went 11 nautical miles, which according to experienced kayakers, is a lot of paddling for one day.

Everyone went to bed early that night. It had been a perfect day but it was time to go home tomorrow which made us happy and sad. We were torn between leaving this paradise and returning home to our Chocolate Lab – Bella.

A mystical start to the day on Willis Island

Bald eagle hanging out near Willis Island

Mom and pup harbour seal near Willis Island

Paddling into the Pinkertons

DAY 5 – Heading Home

Bald eagles were having a conversation close to our tent at 6am. It was our final day. We were treated to bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon, pears, apples and hard-boiled eggs to start the day. It was such a good breakfast.

We packed up and departed at 9am. We were to paddle to our pick-up spot and spend our last few hours swimming and enjoying the white sand beaches.

We arrived at our final island and decided we would swim after lunch. Lunch was a charcuterie board with sliced salami, chips, smoked oysters and cheese. It was gourmet in the middle of nowhere.

After lunch Kathy, Edith, Isabelle and I jumped in the water. It was cold but felt amazing. We also took part in an island clean up, as we noticed there was some garbage tucked into the driftwood and along the beaches. Two old tires were found along with chunks of styrofoam, ropes and water bottles. The ecosystem in the Broken Group is incredibly sensitive, so garbage like this can be detrimental. As we picked up garbage a deer came out on the beach. She didn’t seem bothered by us, so Adam took a bunch of pictures of her. She had adorable white stripes on her ears.

At 2:30pm our water taxi arrived at the island to take us home. As we left, I was happy to be going home to Bella and to have a shower, but I wished our adventure was just a bit longer. I felt like I was changed in some way. I was proud of myself and Adam for doing this trip. We had never done anything like this before and I’m not sure if we could have done it without the expert guidance of Kevin and Isabelle. Having them there to prepare our meals and make everything about the trip comfortable and relaxing was a huge plus. They also made sure we were safe, never paddling in dangerous conditions and teaching us how to paddle effectively.

We paddled, hiked, camped and had a fantastic time. We had both been nervous about how our bodies would hold up during this trip, as we don’t do strenuous jobs. We did just fine. That means you could too. Hello Nature is the group to go with. Kevin is a world-class guide, plus, he is funny and only hires awesome people to work with him. A big thank you to Kevin, Isabelle and the entire gang at Hello Nature for an incredible trip to the Broken Group.

]]>http://fulltimecanada.ca/kayaking-the-broken-group-with-hello-nature/feed/0How to Prepare Your RV For Travelhttp://fulltimecanada.ca/how-to-prepare-your-rv-for-travel/
http://fulltimecanada.ca/how-to-prepare-your-rv-for-travel/#respondSun, 20 May 2018 17:05:12 +0000http://fulltimecanada.ca/?p=3021The following article is by Jason Mueller of A1AutoTransport.com Spring has finally started to peak its head out from the cold winter, and now is the perfect time to start thinking…

Spring has finally started to peak its head out from the cold winter, and now is the perfect time to start thinking about where you want to take your RV when its time to travel. Before you pack your bags and hit the road for a cross-country trip, however, you need to take time to get your RV ready to go. Even if you use your RV year-round, taking time for necessary maintenance and paying attention to details is an important step to staying on the road. Regular inspections will help keep your RV in good condition and can help prolong the years you will have it to enjoy. The best way to be prepared is with an RV checklist.

Here are the most important steps to take to ensure your next road trip is just as safe as it is fun!

Outside RV Checklist

It’s important to do a complete walk-around inspection of your RV to see if there are any cracks or gaps in the RV or around the windows or doors. Even a tiny crack around a window seal can cause severe water damage. Be sure to inspect the moldings as well as the doors and exterior storage areas for signs of cracking or other damage.

If you have an awning, be sure to roll it all the way out to see if it has tears or any mold or mildew. If you see rips or tears, take the time to fix it before you travel.

Another thing and one of the most important to check is going to be your tires. If you have not been using the RV for a long period of time, check for signs of dry rot or cracks in the rubber. If you see something that does not look right, have a tire pro inspect the tires to ensure they are safe for travel. Also, check the wheels to make sure the rims are good.

Prior to Departure Outside RV Checklist:

Windows

Doors

Roof

Awning

Tires and Wheels

Moldings

Shut Off Propane Tanks

Remove Wheel Blocks

Secure Steps

Secure Vent Flaps

Retract Awning

Check Lights

Check Tire Pressure

Check Underneath

It’s easy to see when something needs to be taken care of when you look at the outside of your trailer, but people often forget about the underside of their trailer when they inspect before a trip. It’s a good idea to check underneath to make sure you don’t have loose bolts and to make sure there is nothing rusted or broken.

Prior to Departure Underneath Checklist:

Check Plumbing Lines

Black Water Tank

Gray Water Tank

Fresh Water Tank

Chassis

Axle

Inside the Trailer

Has your trailer been parked and sealed up all winter long? If so, you need to take time to open the windows and doors, clean everything and get some fresh air circulating before you think about traveling.

Check the roof for signs of leaks and if you see any, stay on top of things and get it repaired quickly. Water damage can destroy a trailer.

Check the electrical inside to make sure it is working properly. This means you need to check switches as well as every outlet in the trailer to ensure they are in proper working order. If you plan on working during your travels and have a job that requires internet access, you need to make sure your Wi-Fi works well so you can access the internet.

Prior to Departure Interior Checklist:

Shut Off Water Heater

Take Trash Out

Secure Food in Fridge

Secure Refrigerator Door

Close Curtains

Close/Secure Cupboards

Shut Water Pump Off

Clean Interior

Windshield (If applicable)

Slide Antenna Down or Remove Until Parked

Empty Sink

Remove Items from Counter

Secure Everything Inside

It is also a good idea to walk around the trailer to make sure there is nothing blocking the way that could cause damage when you start to drive out. This includes tree limbs, screws or nails or other items that can cause damage. You should also make sure the power, water tanks and sewage work well before taking off.

Before heading out, you need to do a complete walk-through and make sure everything is secure, the gas and power are disconnected, and everything is safely in its place, so it will not get damaged when you take off.

Careful inspection of your trailer before you take off this year will help ensure you have happy and safe travels and don’t run into any issues during your vacation time.

]]>http://fulltimecanada.ca/how-to-prepare-your-rv-for-travel/feed/0How to Upgrade Your RV Light Bulbs to LEDhttp://fulltimecanada.ca/upgrade-your-rv-light-bulbs-to-led/
http://fulltimecanada.ca/upgrade-your-rv-light-bulbs-to-led/#respondThu, 26 Apr 2018 22:09:53 +0000http://fulltimecanada.ca/?p=3009The heavy scent of wood smoke from a campfire always unlocks the memories. Through the swirling mist of time, the years part like a curtain and I’m ten years old…

]]>The heavy scent of wood smoke from a campfire always unlocks the memories. Through the swirling mist of time, the years part like a curtain and I’m ten years old again. In my mind’s eye, I’m at cub scout camp with all my friends; hiking, canoeing, and fishing. Exhausted at the end of the day, we crawl into our tents as the stars wink on, listening to the thrumming of June bugs on the tent flaps. Before long, my shallow breathing gives way to dreams of winding rivers and unclimbed mountain peaks. A rustling sound in the leaves jolts me awake. “What’s that?” my friend asks, thrashing out of his sleeping bag. Reaching behind my pillow, I grab my heavy flashlight and click the rubber switch. A feeble cone of yellow light shines on the tent door, scaring away whatever small mammal had been sniffing around our campsite. “Walker, you need a better flashlight” my friend moans, rolling over and pulling his sleeping bag over his head.

Indeed.

The Discovery of How Poor RV Light Bulbs Truly Are

Imagine my surprise when I turn on the RV lights in our newly purchased RV. The feeble yellow bulbs glow like the flashlight of old. Removing the cover, I inspect one of the lights. Reaching out to touch it, I recoil from the searing heat. Worse than the old flashlight.

Over a glass of red wine that evening, I problem solve 21st century-style on Amazon. Before long, the solution stares back at me from the screen. I order a 10-pack of LED RV bulbs for $30.

10-pack of LED RV light bulbs available on Amazon for ~$30.

LED RV Light Bulbs = Money Saved!

While we weren’t planning to boondock any time in our first season or two, I have long-term plans to install solar panels and upgrade the single 12V battery. In the meantime, the LED RV light bulbs are the first step in pursuing energy independence. As I waited for the bulbs to arrive, I compared the energy numbers for the new bulbs to the traditional incandescent bulbs that came with the camper. The math confirms the new LED RV light bulbs will use less than 10% of the power of the originals, helping support our future boondocking plans.

Specification

Original bulb: #921 incandescent

LED RV bulb

diameter

16mm

11mm

length

35mm

42mm

Amperage

1.4 amps

0.12 amps

Voltage

12.8V DC

12.8V DC

Life expectancy

up to 1000 hrs

Up to 50,000 hrs

Cost/unit

~$1.50

~$2.90

Power consumed

17.92 watts

1.5 watts

brightness

~120 lumens

~200 lumens

LED RV light bulb specifications vs. old incandescent bulb

Installing The New RV Light Bulbs

Once the new RV light bulbs arrived, I checked the fit. Some users reported problems with the lights not working. I found that the spacing of the small wire filaments was the likely issue. Like many small DC voltage bulbs, the filaments are slightly moveable. To avoid problems, ensure they are spaced properly to make contact in the socket. If not, move them slightly using a fingernail or a flat screwdriver. In my pack of ten bulbs, I had to adjust the filaments on two of them.

LED RV light bulb installed. The 42mm length will easily fit into a standard RV fixture.

The light of the new LED RV light bulbs is brighter and more of a daylight hue than the incandescent bulbs. While they do generate a little bit of heat, it is much less.

LED RV light bulb has a more natural daylight colour compared to the incandescent bulb.

The new LED RV light bulbs survived the first season with no burnouts. The next step will be to install solar panels and upgrade the 12V battery for future boondocking.

And yes, we bought new LED flashlights for the camper too.

Have a story to tell about your own RV LED bulb replacement? Please share your comments below.

]]>http://fulltimecanada.ca/upgrade-your-rv-light-bulbs-to-led/feed/0RVing & Natural Disasters: How To Be Preparedhttp://fulltimecanada.ca/rving-natural-disasters-how-to-be-prepared/
http://fulltimecanada.ca/rving-natural-disasters-how-to-be-prepared/#respondMon, 29 Jan 2018 21:40:28 +0000http://fulltimecanada.ca/?p=2988My eyes open and suddenly I’m awake – wide awake. I look at the alarm clock. It reads 2.03am. I think, “Ugh, is this going to be one of those…

]]>My eyes open and suddenly I’m awake – wide awake. I look at the alarm clock. It reads 2.03am. I think, “Ugh, is this going to be one of those nights where I can’t get back to sleep?” I close my eyes, but as soon as I do I hear something odd, especially for the middle of the night. Off in the distance, I hear an alarm of sorts. Being that I was in a tired, groggy state of mind I had to focus to properly make out the strange alarm. Then I heard it clearly. I don’t exactly remember what it was saying, but surrounding the alarm was a statement that basically said, “This is a tsunami warning, please seek high ground.” After that moment, I was REALLY wide awake.

Quickly, I sat up, yelled at a sleeping Kate, “TSUNAMI WARNING!” Then it was go time. Hurriedly, we dressed, grabbed our 72-hour kit, shoved the cat in her carrier, woke the dog who didn’t want to wake up and drove to high ground at our local community centre.

For the next 2.5 hours, we sat in our truck at the community centre watching for updates to see if the 7.9 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Kodiak, Alaska was going to send a huge tsunami wave our way. Finally, around 4.40am, we learned that the coast was clear and that no tsunami was expected to pound our shores.

Watch as the crowd at the Tofino Community Centre celebrates the news that there would be no tsunami.

Since arriving in Tofino in the fall of 2016, Kate & I have been educated over-and-over again about the dangers of living on the west coast due to the expected “Big One” earthquake & possible tsunamis. We’ve been told about how to prepare for such instances, but no amount of preparedness gets you ready for the real deal. The day after the tsunami warning we debriefed amongst ourselves & friends about whether we were truly prepared in the case of an emergency such as a tsunami. We realized that while we were decently prepared, we weren’t completely prepared. For instance, we packed cat & dog food in our 72-hour kit but no human food and I know Bella doesn’t like sharing her food.

The tsunami warning definitely opened our eyes and since then, we’ve been working towards being fully prepared for future emergencies, whether they’re tsunamis, earthquakes, or any other type of natural disaster. Each year we see a plethora of sad stories on RVing Facebook groups about natural disasters that wreak havoc in various parts of the continent. We’ve learned that we need to be ready for these disasters because you never know when they will strike. Below are some general ways you can prepare yourself & your RV for these unpredictable emergencies.

We’ve also included a downloadable link below to a great guidebook by Janice Wesley.

Know Your Surroundings

When you’re RVing and travelling all over the continent it’s easy to think only about having fun. However, in the back of your head, you always should be aware of your surroundings and what that could mean for the safety of you & your family. Whether it’s tsunamis & earthquakes on the West Coast, hurricanes of the East Coast, tornadoes of the Midwest, or any other natural disaster it’s wise to know your surroundings and how to prepare for them.

For example, here in Tofino, with the threat of earthquakes & tsunamis always in the back of our head, we have to know where high ground is and what the evacuation route is. A quick check on the District of Tofino website gives us the evacuation route for the town and the high ground locations including the community centre which functions as an Emergency Reception Centre. Wherever you’re RVing should have similar resources available to help you plan an evacuation if needed. If you can’t find an evacuation route, have a local map handy and map out your own routes or ask a local for advice.

Be Alerted

Being notified of a potential or ongoing natural disaster is something that could mean the difference between life and death as you never know how much time you truly have to evacuate during an emergency.

With our recent tsunami scare, because it happened in the middle of the night, there were many people who slept right through the warning sirens. The sirens, though, were just one way of being notified and there are many ways to prepare yourself for these types of natural disasters.

A lot of communities, provinces, etc… will have specific emergency notification systems in place. For us in Tofino, we used the One Call Now notification system. All you have to do is sign up with your phone number and in the case of an emergency the notification system will call you and let you know about the situation and what to do. It’s important to make sure you get those notifications after you sign up, as well which you can ensure by making sure those notification systems are added to “Emergency Bypass” in your contacts. That will make sure your phone rings even if your phone is in silent or do not disturb. Click here on how to use Emergency Bypass.

In the U.S., these alerts may automatically come to your phone through the cell carrier as was the case in the recent fake Hawaiian ballistic missile alert that went out. This technology will soon be coming to Canada as well.

Aside from alerts from various forms of government, you can get various apps on your phone to alert you of various events. Again, these will depend on where you are travelling but in our case, we’re now using the QuakeFeed app which alerts us to earthquakes within specific settings that we chose. This allows us to know about earthquakes happening on the West Coast and alerts us regarding their severity & possible need to evacuate.

No matter where you are, the combination of local alert systems combined with your own alerts should have you always aware of natural disasters.

72-Hour Kits

It’s been long hammered into our heads that every home, no matter where you live, should have a 72-hour kit. These kits can assist in your survival should the necessary situation arise where you have to depend on the contents of such a kit.

Depending on where you’re travelling it could be wise to have enough contents for a week. If you’re RVing in a remote place or boondocking, you may be on your own for a while. This is one reason why it’s also wise to send your daily travel plans to someone and check-in at the end of the day.

So what do you put in a 72-hour kit? That really is the ultimate question. There are the obvious necessities such as food & water. But you also have to be smart about packing your kit. You may have to be mobile and a heavy kit filled with can foods isn’t the smartest choice. In terms of food, we recommend foods that are light & full of protein and carbs. We’ve recently packed turkey jerky, nuts, oatmeal & energy bars into our kit.

Instead of listing every little thing that you should have in a 72-hour kit, click this link for the list provided by the District of Tofino. A quick glance at the list shows a long list of items. We don’t have everything on that list in our kit and you don’t need to either. Once you go through it, you will realize what items are most important.

When packing your kit, we used vacuum sealed bags to separate the contents. This helps in two ways. First, it helps keep everything dry should we be caught in the water or in rainy conditions. It also helps keep your kit organized. For example, we have one vacuum sealed bag that we can transfer from our 72-hour bag to our camping/hiking bag as all the contents are useful in both situations.

It’s also important to have a kit in your vehicle because you never know when a natural disaster will strike and therefore you have to be prepared for when you’re not in your RV. For us, we bought a large tote and have filled it with the necessities along with extra food, sleeping bags & our tent.

When you’re creating your kit, don’t forget about your pets. Whether you create a separate kit for your pets or stash everything into your own, it’s good to have pet supplies ready. In our kit, we have food, extra leashes/harnesses, a Tupperware container for food, & doggy bags. We also keep the cat carrier right next to our 72-hour kit so we can quickly grab both.

If you don’t want to deal with the fuss of putting together your own 72-hour kit, there are plenty of companies and organizations selling them such as the Red Cross. Whether you build your own or buy one, get your 72-hour kit ready now because natural disaster can happen anytime.

Be sure to remind yourself to check the contents of your kit every 6 months to a year for expired items and restock as necessary.

Natural Disasters & RVing

All the above information is good knowledge to have regardless whether your travelling the country in your RV or you’re stationary. Because a natural disaster can happen while you’re RVing you must be prepared for the nuances that come with that scenario.

Evacuation.The type of RV you have and the type of natural disaster you could be facing cause an interesting scenario. In some situations, you may be able to get into the driver’s seat of your motorhome and take off. If you have a fifth wheel, you probably will be leaving it behind unless you have plenty of time to evacuate. Be mindful of where you might be heading in your RV as well as you may not be able to go far with a large vehicle. For instance, here in Tofino, our small town would be bogged down quickly with RVers and everyone would have to be on foot to reach high ground in the case of a tsunami.

Water.In the case of a prolonged emergency, water is usually the most important thing to have. Thankfully, with an RV you have a built-in freshwater tank. Keeping if full will always ensure you have a supply of water should you be able to be able to safely remain with your RV.

Solar Power.These days more and more RVers are installing their own solar panel system as a way to stay powered when they boondock. This also comes in handy when you’re dealing with an emergency and power isn’t available. Solar systems are getting cheaper these days and are relatively easy to install.

Fuel. It’s always a good idea to make sure your motorhome or tow vehicle has plenty of gas. A good rule of thumb is to fill up when you reach half a tank. This will allow you to travel a good amount of distance should you need to in the case of an emergency.

Propane. Two full tanks of propane can last both keep you warm and allow you to cook food in the case of an emergency. Make sure you always have at least one full tank of propane. A good rule of thumb is to fill one tank soon after it runs out.

Finding Shelter. In the case of hurricanes or tornadoes, it could be important to leave your RV immediately and find shelter. If you’re staying at a campground, this could mean heading to the bathroom, laundry facilities, main office or some other designated building. When checking into a campground, ask them about their emergency shelters.

Check On Your Neighbours. If you’re in an RV park, your neighbours (for whatever reason) may not be aware of the current emergency unfolding. If time permits, check on them to make sure they are OK and are aware of everything that is going on.

While we rather would not have had to deal with a tsunami scare to learn and prepare ourselves for a natural disaster, we now can say that we’re ready or at least as ready as we can be. There are so many variables when it comes to a natural disaster and it’s hard to be prepared for every situation but the best thing you can do is be overprepared. Have a 72-hour kit. Know your evacuation routes. Sign up for alerts.

Have you ever had to deal with a natural disaster while RVing? What happened? Were you prepared?

]]>http://fulltimecanada.ca/rving-natural-disasters-how-to-be-prepared/feed/0How To Plan A Cross-Country RV Triphttp://fulltimecanada.ca/how-to-plan-a-cross-country-rv-trip/
http://fulltimecanada.ca/how-to-plan-a-cross-country-rv-trip/#commentsSat, 20 Jan 2018 18:44:27 +0000http://fulltimecanada.ca/?p=2959For Europeans exploring the North American Frontier, heading into the unknown was a very daunting task. The smart ones, (i.e. those that survived), were exceptional planners. Planning is still very…

]]>For Europeans exploring the North American Frontier, heading into the unknown was a very daunting task. The smart ones, (i.e. those that survived), were exceptional planners. Planning is still very important to us modern-day explorers. Recently retired from 30 years in the military, I can confirm the axiom, “no time spent planning is ever wasted”. Oh, and also the second axiom, “no plan survives first contact with the enemy”.

Now, before you start donning combat boots and flak jackets, planning an RV trip is a wee bit easier than planning a major battle. Understand that the better prepared you are for your voyage, the better things will go. Dealing with snags is part of RV living, but you can minimize the effects.

After a full season (April to October) as Camp Hosts on Vancouver Island, it was time to take a major break and skip south for the winter. This would be a 5-month trek, covering several thousand kilometres. Our rig has performed exceptionally well as a home, but now it was time to prep for mobility.

How To Start Planning For A Cross-Country RV Trip

The first part of planning our cross-country RV trip was to prepare the RV. When we bought our Outback, Stone’s RV gave us an excellent booklet on the basics and their Facebook Page has many good tips. Prevention is the key when it comes to maintenance. Our rig has been in use all season, of course, but we still need to make sure it’s ready for the road. Here’s the short list of what we need to do:

Self-maintenance. This includes everything we can do ourselves, i.e. lubricating slides, clean and condition the rubber roof, checking lug nut torques, tire pressure, etc. One of the keys to doing your own maintenance is to make it a regular habit. The more regularly you clean/check your rig, the more likely you are to notice issues and look after them early. We assembled a complete, but compact toolkit when we bought the Outback, as well as stocking a good supply of cleaning gear. Among our gear – a torque wrench and appropriate sockets for truck and trailer lug nuts, plus a small compressor capable of topping up to 80 psi required for all tires.

Shop-maintenance. This covers the things above your skill level that should be absolutely required to be done by the pros. We scheduled our RV for that at the local dealership. They fixed some small warranty snags, checked axle alignment, repacked wheel bearings, and checked the brakes. These are critical components that must be in perfect working order before hitting the road on a long journey. They noted that while our trailer was very new, the factory grease in the wheel bearings was minimal and it was a good thing that we scheduled brought the RV in. New, doesn’t necessarily mean your RV is in great road ready conditions.

Paying Attention to Your RV’s Tires

Now, if you’re an avid follower of the many RV Facebook pages, you’ll no doubt have heard the many stories of tire blowouts. We’re certainly not about to risk our home on four round pieces of rubber. Stock RV tires are legally rated for your rig, but they’re not always top of the line. Some new tires may be brand new but have also been sitting in stock for a very long time.

It’s very important to check on the tire for 4 numbers. For example, the new tires we put on, have 26/17. That means they were made the 26th week of 2017. We purchased a full set of heavy-duty E-rated tires that will easily handle the weight of our RV and highway towing speeds. They also have sidewalls stiff enough for any accidental curb abuse. If we can advise on one major thing to check out and possibly upgrade prior to your long voyage it’s your RV’s tires.

Planning An RV Trip Into The U.S.

Touring to the U.S. seems to be a bit of a concern for some Canadian RVers. To date, we haven’t had any issues, but again, part of that is preparation. We arrived at the border prepared. This makes a big difference. Simple things, like rolling down all your windows as you arrive at customs. It indicates you’ve got nothing to hide and understand that they need to take a peek.

We also had an itinerary, the route marked on a map, and a complete inventory on what we were bringing in to the U.S. The inventory isn’t a huge deal for entering the U.S., but it most certainly is when you return to Canada. We’re keeping track of our purchases along the way, so when we get back, we’ll present the list of everything we brought down with us, and another list of everything we bought, complete with totals, and receipts. Every time I’ve done that, it’s been commented on just how prepared we are leaving us to be thanked and waved on without an issue.

Planning Your Route & Places To Stay

Our trip planning is mostly focused on avoiding old man winter. We didn’t want to tie ourselves to a very strict route and schedule, rather we had a rough outline. Our only hard and fast date were getting to Tampa, Florida for December 1st.

There is a risk to not booking well ahead during the winter months, but if you’re avoiding the huge tourist traps & popular snowbird destinations you can always find something. We planned a mix of resorts, Corps of Engineer Parks, and some boondocking, with a plan to keep the monthly budget to around $800 a month.

We have our America the Beautiful pass, which is the equivalent of the Parks Canada pass. We also have Good Sam, and Passport America. Overall, after logging some 20,000 km’s in two trips, the Passport America is definitely the winner for money savings. From end-October to mid-December, it netted us easily $400 plus in saved camping fees, for an $80 annual fee.

Good Sam hasn’t netted us the big savings in sites, 10% sounds good, but a lot of the parks that take Good Sam, offer the same discount to just about anyone. We have saved enough in camping fees and gear purchases at Camping World stores to justify it, but just barely. The other caveat with Good Sam is that you absolutely must ignore the Good Sam Ratings and do your own online research for reviews. We’ve seen RV parks rated 9 or 10 by Good Sam that rate a 1 on Trip Advisor and Google and are full of warnings to stay away. Good Sam really needs to improve their system and give honest reviews and let the cards fall where they may.

Tools & Equipment For The Journey

Along with discount memberships, there are a few other tools we’d recommend.

Road Atlas. Planning a long-distance RV trip via a tablet, GPS, or laptop is a pain. Having a large road atlas to do the basic planning will really simplify the process. We have our tablets, a cell phone, and built-in GPS in our Chevrolet 1-ton Diesel.

OnStar. We also have the truck’s OnStar with hands-free calling and built-in Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi isn’t cheap in Canada but when we renewed our 10GB monthly plan in the U.S. it was almost ¼ the price!

Credit Card. We have a BMO U.S. Dollar Mastercard and U.S. dollar savings account. It makes for very easy transactions in the U.S. and building up funds for next season’s trip.

Guides/Apps. We have the Guide to U.S. National Parks and Monuments and Camping with Corps of Engineers, and Apps to locate Good Sam, Passport America, BLM (Bureau of Land Management), and COE (Corps of Engineer) parks. If you’re planning budget consciously, you can get your monthly camping fees down to well under $20 a night for full hookups.

Planning For Weather

When you are travelling thousands of kilometres you have to be prepared for just about any kind of weather. Our trip from Vancouver Island along the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and northern California included a couple of very cool and rainy days. Good raingear and a fleece will mean the weather won’t stop you from enjoying the outdoors. Even in central Florida though, you will get winter temperatures in the single digits, so plan accordingly.

Travelling long distances in the span of a day can mean that you could see many different types of weather which can lead to uncomfortable driving situations. Whether its rain, snow, or wind, it’s a good idea to know what kind of weather you’ll be coming across during your travels. The website get-there-dry.com is simple to use website that’ll tell you the weather for certain locations between point A & B, helping to allow you to make better travel-related decisions.

Pre-Departure Checklist

As RCAF aircrew for decades, I know the value of a checklist. From inspecting our aircraft to dire emergencies, we had checklists for everything. You don’t need to be quite so detailed but a few checklists are a great help.

These are all the mundane things you need to check through before you head out…

Mail? Do you have a forwarding service or a good friend/relative that can help?

Bills – online bill payment, e-bills, and paperless banking really help keep the money going where it needs to while you’re basking in the sun.

Communications – Unless you’re staying at 5-star resorts with wi-fi, phone, etc, how will you stay in touch? Many options here, our Chev 3500 has built-in wi-fi, and phone, so we’re our own mobile communications grid.

Cell Phone plan – Most providers offer roaming plans for the US. Do some comparison shopping, and check on the possibility of getting a US phone and service as it may be cheaper for long stays.

Home Insurance – If you’re a home-dweller, most home policies won’t cover you for absences longer than 30 days, so be sure to check on that and either get additional insurance or a house-sitter.

Health Care – Know your Provincial Health Care coverage and understand what you’ll need in the way of additional coverage.

Vehicle(s) – Same applies to your truck & RV as many dealerships offer extended coverage, and companies such as Good Sam & CoachNet can offer roadside assistance and even additional medical coverage. The Canadian Snowbird Association is another place to get additional coverage and facts.

Customs/Immigration – This is a biggy. Know what the rules are for extended stays in the US. Many think it’s a blanket 6 months a year when it’s actually a lot more complicated and stays are based on a 3-year rolling period.

Crossing the Border – When we left Nova Scotia for BC, we went on a 3-week trek via the US with essentially everything we owned. Rather than a big hassle, we contacted Canada Customs and asked what was the best way to ensure that when we returned to Canada we could clearly show what we brought into the US and what we bought while travelling. We were told to prepare an inventory of all contents of our truck and travel trailer. Then simply stop at the Canada Customs Office at the border, present the inventory and Customs Officials would inspect and sign/stamp each page. Sure, it’s a bit of work to do but when we arrived back in Canada we breezed through customs and were congratulated by the officers on how prepared we were. Know what you can and can’t bring back and forth across the border, too.

Our Plan in Action

With almost 2 months complete and 3 more to go, I have to say we haven’t faced anything that’s brought our plans into question. Our truck has been flawless only requiring a scheduled oil change and tire rotation.

Our Outback 328RL has had two issues. We had a slide cable start to fray badly and we were very concerned about it snapping. Fortunately, a call to Stone’s netted a part replacement in 48 hours and a recommended dealer to take it to for warranty replacement. We scheduled the truck’s oil/tire work same day so we lost very little vacation time.

If you’ve ever dreamed of taking the plunge and doing a months-long trek with your RV, I can certainly highly recommend it. A bit of pre-planning, a sense of adventure and you’ll bring home lifelong memories and a burning desire to do it all over again.

What tips/tricks do you have when preparing for a long distance RV trip?

]]>http://fulltimecanada.ca/how-to-plan-a-cross-country-rv-trip/feed/1How To Upgrade Your RV Sinkhttp://fulltimecanada.ca/how-to-upgrade-your-rv-sink/
http://fulltimecanada.ca/how-to-upgrade-your-rv-sink/#respondSat, 20 Jan 2018 00:51:31 +0000http://fulltimecanada.ca/?p=2964Dizzy with dreams of exotic travel, my wife Lori and I spent several evenings in our driveway, listening to the chirp of late August crickets as we sat in our…

]]>Dizzy with dreams of exotic travel, my wife Lori and I spent several evenings in our driveway, listening to the chirp of late August crickets as we sat in our new 18-foot travel trailer. Like most newbie RV owners, we fantasized about the future trips we would take, crossing the backroads of North America and pushing stick pins into a map. There was, of course, the small detail that we didn’t have a tow vehicle yet, but not to worry. While we shopped around for one, we’d utilize the rest of summer’s waning days to tackle the growing list of upgrades we wanted to make to the RV.

Deciding To Upgrade The RV Sink

The RV was 7 years old but in remarkably good shape, due to the mortality of the original owners, who waited too long to enter the RV lifestyle. My list of improvement items ranged from the practical to the mundane. Energy saving lights and new propane tanks with fill gauges topped the queue. Lori’s list was more imaginative, with creative things like curtains, a new mattress, and dishes that would transform the trailer into our ‘home away from home.’ But our two lists converged at one critical point of agreement. The horrible factory-installed kitchen sink had to go.

Typical of many RV sinks, ours was shallow and undersized, about 4” deep. Washing anything larger than a small plate was like dabbling in a birdbath with both hands, sending most of the water onto the floor and countertop. Although it was a dual sink with a faux aluminum-colour, it had tiny drains and was made of plastic. Yes, plastic. As many experienced RV’ers already know, every time a hot lid or pan touches such a sink, it will burn a new mark into it, visible forever like a cattle brand. The RV sink had to come out before we hit the open road.

Our shallow plastic RV sink – with tiny drains and burn marks.

Finding The Right RV Sink

After several trips to the big box home improvement stores, it was obvious they didn’t have the RV sink we were looking for. Most were either too big or were small, single sinks suitable for a man-cave wet bar. Many internet searches later, we found what we were looking for on eBay. A dual-stainless steel sink, with a standard 8” depth that would fit into our countertop with a bit of cutting. The list price was $60 from a seller in the USA. The overall cost to us was about $100 CDN, including taxes and the shipping to send it to our Toronto area home.

Installing Our New RV Sink

After the new sink arrived, the first step was disconnecting the existing drains by unscrewing the plumbing underneath. Fortunately, the supply taps were mounted right onto the counter behind the sink, so it was a simple matter of disconnecting the drain plumbing and loosening the clips under the sink that held it down to the counter.

There was no need to disconnect the water supply lines. Next, I carefully measured the new opening and cut it larger using a reciprocating saw. I found it useful to mark the midpoint on the counter so the new sink would line up straight with the taps.

Picture: Enlarged hole in the countertop to accept the new sink. Note the thin veneer ‘floor shelf’ under the sink that had to be removed to lower the plumbing for the deeper sink. Also, note the vacuum breaker fitting sticking up from the top of the drain pipe. The vacuum breaker is essential to allow the sink to drain into the grey water tank without ‘chugging’.

Once the new sink was test fitted in the enlarged opening, it was time to install the basket strainers/drains into the holes in the sink. I purchased them at a big box store for about $15 each. There are two different ways to mount them. One method uses the traditional plumber’s putty (a substance like children’s plasticine) that solidifies somewhat to become the gasket between the strainer/drain lip and the sink. The other is to use silicone. Generally, silicone is messier and harder to clean up, so I opted for the putty. The putty is also applied all around the sink, under the edge where it meets the counter, to prevent water from getting underneath. It’s the same procedure as installing a regular kitchen sink, and there are many tutorials on the internet that go into detail if you have never done it before.

Picture: Basket strainer and plumber’s putty.

The internet also has many diagrams on how to plumb the drains for a dual sink. It’s the same idea as in a house, except there will be the vacuum breaker vent as part of the plumbing. I found it useful to go to the hardware store and ‘test-assemble’ all the PVC pipe parts right there in the store before buying them.

Example of a simplified kitchen sink drain plumbing diagram.

Area under the sink with the thin veneer ‘shelf floor’ removed, the old drain plumbing cut off, and the water lines wrapped in foam pipe wrap.

The thin veneer ‘floor shelf’ under the sink area had to be removed because the new sink was deeper and required the new drain plumbing to be lower. After removing the veneer shelf, I wrapped all the supply water lines with foam pipe wrap and zip ties, to clean things up and help minimize vibration noise in the water lines. (Pictured Right)

New framing for a sliding shelf and recycle bin. 1×2 poplar pieces held in place with wood screws.

While I had the sink out and the area exposed, I decided to convert some of the wasted space underneath the sink into a practical storage area. As in most RVs, the existing wood framing consisted of either particle board or flimsy strips of wood stapled together. I wanted to build a small shelf structure to hold a sliding drawer and a recycling bin. I found that 1×2 inch poplar was the best solution, being very lightweight and easy to cut/drill. (Pictured Left)

Once the framing and pipe wrapping was all done, I dry-fitted the new drain plumbing together, using the old drain plumbing as a model. It’s an old plumber’s trick to use a white or silver sharpie marker to mark all the test-fitted PVC plumbing pieces before you glue them. That way you can confidently re-assemble everything by gluing one piece at a time according to the marks. After test fitting and marking the drain plumbing, I re-installed the thin veneer ‘shelf’, about 4 inches lower than before.

Next, I cemented all the drain plumbing together and attached it to the bottom of the sink. I then eased the sink/drain assembly into the counter, pressing down on the plumber’s putty bead all around the edge of the sink. Finally, I cemented the drain assembly into the trailer PVC drain that goes down into the grey water tank. The last step was to install the under-sink tension clips that came with the new sink and wipe off the excess putty that oozed out between the sink and the countertop. That part of the install was exactly like a regular kitchen sink in a house.

Picture: New sink mounted and new PVC drain plumbing cemented to the drain. Sliding bins installed.

Once the sink was installed, I did the usual testing for leaks. Everything was perfect! The new RV sink has made a big difference in our ability to function in such a small space. Since the kitchen is such a hub of activity, it helps a lot to be able to cook and clean up with no limitations due to the sink size or the material it’s made of. Now we can transfer pans right from the flame of the propane stove to the sink, without any fear of damage.

The shiny new sink, all ready for those hot pots and pans!

Have a story to tell about your own RV sink replacement? Please share your comments below.

]]>http://fulltimecanada.ca/how-to-upgrade-your-rv-sink/feed/0Why You Need An RV Surge Protectorhttp://fulltimecanada.ca/rv-surge-protector/
http://fulltimecanada.ca/rv-surge-protector/#commentsWed, 03 Jan 2018 04:50:31 +0000http://fulltimecanada.ca/?p=2946When Kate & I first considered purchasing an RV we did a tonne of research. It seemed like we spent days reading while trying to educate ourselves about RVs and…

]]>When Kate & I first considered purchasing an RV we did a tonne of research. It seemed like we spent days reading while trying to educate ourselves about RVs and everything about them. Some of the research we did was not just about RVs, but what were the MUST have accessories that every RVer should have.

Repeatedly, on various RVing forums and Facebook groups, we read about the one piece of equipment most RVers would recommend – a surge protector.

What is a Surge Protector?

A surge protector is either a hardwired or portable piece of equipment which has the main purpose of protecting your RVs electrical system and electrical appliances. Think of it as your RVs first line of defence when it comes to protecting your electrical system & appliances. If a surge protector detects a situation that it deems harmful to your RV, more than likely it will cut power to your RV. Depending on the model of surge protector you have, it may tell you why the power was cut allowing you to properly figure out how to deal with the situation.

Some of the most common ways a surge protector will protect your RV include:

–Poor Wiring. While most RV parks are great, older parks will have older electrical systems – some which may have been wired poorly. The wiring could also have been damaged over the years or even eaten through by rats or mice. While you can check a parks power with a voltage meter, a surge protector will guard you against any of the above or should anything suddenly change regarding an RV parks electrical system.

–High Voltage/Low Voltage. One of the main features of a surge protector is to provide a barrier between the parks electrical system and your RV regarding high & low voltage. Power boosts can happen quickly and occur out of nowhere. Often these are caused by lightning strikes. While some RVers will protect themselves from this by unplugging during storms, it’s more convenient just to protect yourself with a surge protector.

It will also protect your RV in low voltage situations. While this is less common, it can still cause serious harm to your electrical system or appliances. Low voltage situations can occur more often in the summer when a park full of RVs are all using their AC units which demand a lot of power.

There are other ways a surge protector can protect your RV, but these are the main ones. We’ll tell you about another way our surge protector guarded our RV later.

Types of Surge Protectors

Depending on the model of your surge protector you will be protected from various issues. The cheaper the model, the less overall protection you will have.

The basic surge protectors on the market can be had for around $100. For the most part, they will only protect you from big surges. That’s a good thing but that’s usually where the features of these types of surge protectors ends. They’re not a bad idea if you only occasionally RV but if you RV more often you’ll need something with a bit more bells and whistles.

The basic + level up of surge protectors can range from $100-$200+ and like the basic models they will offer general surge protection. They will also typically offer protection from high/low voltage and faulty wiring.

A complete surge protectorwith all the bells & whistles which will give you the best overall protection will be costly at around $300-$400. It may sound like a lot of money but when you consider that it can save you thousands of dollars from replacing your electrical system or appliances it’s a pretty good deal.

Portable or Hardwired?

Surge protectors are currently available in two ways – portable and hardwired.

A portable surge protector is one that you connect your RVs power cable to and then connect the surge protector to the power pedestal at the RV park. These are the most common types of surge protectors that you will see other RVers use. While they can be a bit bulky in size, they are easy to hookup every time you move to a new RV site.

The one potential drawback to having a portable surge protector is they can easily get stolen. Because of how expensive some models are, thieves can simply approach your site and unplug your surge protector saving themselves hundreds of dollars while costing you the same. This issue can be solved in various ways. Some surge protector models have lockable casings available for them or security locks. Some RVers simply design their own theft protection usually in the form of a chain & lock or something similar.

A hardwired surge protector is just like a portable surge protector, however, rather than having to hook them up every time you move you have it hardwired internally into your electrical system. While it’s nice having a hardwired unit that you can set up and for the most part forget about there are some drawbacks.

Because these types of surge protectors are hardwired, it means you must connect them to your RVs electrical system. For some, this may be straightforward. For others, it could be a daunting and potentially scary situation having to deal with your electrical system. Also, if your surge protector ever becomes fried from protecting your RV, you will have to uninstall it and re-install a new one.

How A Surge Protector Saved Our RV

One morning, Kate & I went to the gym for just over an hour. Upon our return, we discovered that we had no power. Because it was daylight, I couldn’t easily see around us to see if any other RVs or park lights were working so I went and checked the surge protector knowing it would tell me the story. If there was no display on the surge protector that would mean that power was out across the park. Or it could be out for another reason and the surge protector display screen would tell me why.

The plug of our surge protector; melted from overheating.

As soon as I checked, I had to do a double take. The display had indicated that the plug was too hot and as a result, it shut the power off to our RV. After gathering Kate, we pulled the surge protector plug from the power pedestal. As soon as we looked at the plug we realized how lucky we were.

Both the surge protector plug & the pedestal outlet had begun to melt. If we didn’t have a surge protector, electricity could have continued to flow causing a fire at the pedestal. Our RV could have also easily burned to the ground if a fire had not been extinguished quickly. Not only could we have lost our house, but we could have also lost both our dog & cat which would have been beyond heartbreaking.

Needless to say, we’re very happy and relieved that we had our surge protector. While it cost us $400, we’re much happier with that cost rather than the possibility of having lost our RV, belongings and most importantly our pets.

Whether they save you thousands by protecting your RVs electrical system & appliances or they save your RV from burning to the ground, a surge protector should be one of the first pieces of equipment you purchase along with your RV.

Do you have a surge protector? Has it ever saved you from disaster?

]]>http://fulltimecanada.ca/rv-surge-protector/feed/1A Fall Getaway Around Vancouver Islandhttp://fulltimecanada.ca/fall-getaway-around-vancouver-island/
http://fulltimecanada.ca/fall-getaway-around-vancouver-island/#respondFri, 08 Dec 2017 21:30:43 +0000http://fulltimecanada.ca/?p=2911Midway through October, Kate and I officially had been living in Tofino for over a year. When we first moved here the plan was to stay throughout the winter months…

]]>Midway through October, Kate and I officially had been living in Tofino for over a year. When we first moved here the plan was to stay throughout the winter months and then carry on with our journey of full-time RVing somewhere else in Canada. Needless to say, we fell in love with Tofino and believe it will be our home for many years to come. Saying that, just like any home, it’s great to get away for a bit.

After a busy summer where Kate and I both worked jobs while also running our business – Tofino Food Tours – we were ready for a departure from Tofino. Since we moved to Tofino, we’ve only take a couple trips around Vancouver Island. We’ve seen nearby Port Alberni & Nanaimo and travelled a bit to Victoria as well. Other than that we knew we wanted to explore this rugged & wild island that we now call home.

Seeing as Vancouver Island is the largest island on the West Coast of North America there were no shortages of places to go. Still, we only had two weeks and we wanted to see most of Vancouver Island in that time. Our main stops were to visit the areas around Mount Washington, Gold River, Port MacNeill, and Port Renfrew. We figured that itinerary would give us the opportunity to do some hiking in some beautiful areas while also relaxing in some quiet and peaceful surroundings. Happily, we can say that’s exactly what we got.

Mount Washington|Courtenay|Comox|Campbell River

For our first week away from Tofino we ventured up to one of the more popular winter destinations on Vancouver Island – Mount Washington. This beautiful area is home to a very impressive alpine centre, but Kate & I were more interested because of its proximity to Strathcona Provincial Park.

As the largest provincial park on Vancouver Island & BC’s oldest (opened in 1911), Strathcona had a lot of natural appeal to Kate & I. Filled with networks of hiking trails we figured we’d have lots to do while spending time at Mount Washington. But were in for a bit of surprise.

We began our vacation at the beginning of November and while the weather typically cools off, we weren’t entirely prepared for what would greet us when we arrived at Mount Washington. The night before we left Tofino, a cold snap made its way over Vancouver Island bringing with it the rare sight of snow in Tofino. While we got a small dusting in Tofino, Mount Washington being at a much higher elevation got hit with a substantial amount of snow.

While we weren’t necessarily expecting to be surrounded by snow at the beginning of November, we must say it was quite beautiful to look around us and see nothing but alpine forest covered with a thick blanket of snow.

Because of the snow, we weren’t able to hike the number of trails we were expecting to hike in Strathcona. While there was a fair amount of snow on the ground we weren’t going to be stopped from hiking some trails of the Forbidden Plateau area of Strathcona. So there we were – Kate, Bella, & I, happily hiking through the ankle-deep snow along the trails of the Forbidden Plateau.

Because of the parks popularity and proximity to Mount Washington, the snow on the trails was already mostly packed down by other hikers which was nice. Surrounding us as we hiked was a complete sheet of whiteness. It was quite stunning to see. Plus, it was so peaceful. While we couldn’t hike many trails, this hike gave us a good taste of what beauty lies within the park having us wishing to return again in the future to explore further.

While the snow may have stopped us from hiking further into the Forbidden Plateau, it opened up the opportunity to find some gems around Courtenay, Comox, & Campbell River.

Family photo in the Forbidden Plateau of Strathcona Provincial Park.

Bella enjoying the snow.

The snow alpine of Mount Washington

Elk Falls Provincial Park

Near Campbell River, we discovered a gorgeous park – Elk Falls Provincial Park. We spent a good chunk of a day at this park, wandering the many trails that wind through it. Along the way, we were able to find a couple bald eagles perched high up in the trees watching the river for food. We also had the opportunity to cross the relatively new (opened in 2015) suspension bridge which crosses the canyon giving some great views of Elk Falls.

Elk Falls Provincial Park

Nymph Falls Nature Park

Within the Comox Valley, we also found what we assume to be a popular summer destination for locals – Nymph Falls Nature Park. Along the Puntledge River, there are trails that give you some beautiful views of the river and falls. We were hoping we might be able to see salmon jumping up the river to their spawning grounds. It appeared that we were a couple of weeks late as we didn’t see any jumping, however, we saw some decomposing along the river banks. While we were walking along the rocks of the river it became obvious that with its shallow natural pools that the river would be a hot spot for swimmers during the summer.

Nymph Falls Nature Park

Courtenay River Estuary

Driving around Courtenay, mostly to find somewhere to eat, we discovered one of the highlights of our trip – the Courtenay River Estuary. Comox Bay divides Courtenay and Comox and that’s where you will find the Courtenay River Estuary. From either side, however, we were amazed at the amount of wildlife. Up close we witnessed many different birds, many of which we had never seen before. Seals would happily pop up and check us out near the water’s edge. The highlight, though, was the bald eagles. At one point, we counted probably at least 50 bald eagles including a mixture of juvenile & fully matured eagles. It was incredible to see so many in one place. I also managed to get incredibly close to a great blue heron which allowed me to snap one of my favourite series of photos I’ve ever take. Throughout the week we spent at Mount Washington, we travelled down to the Courtenay River Estuary to walk the trails or just sit in the car and watch the show.

Great Blue Heron at Courtenay River Estuary

Pair of bald eagles at the Courtenay River Estuary

Soaring bald eagle at the Courtenay River Estuary

Gold River

Located almost right in the middle of Vancouver Island is the logging town of Gold River. What we discovered when in Gold River is that it’s the hub for a lot of different activities. Many use Gold River as a way to hike the Nootka Trail. Others enjoy cruising aboard the MV Uchuck III. For us, however, we used Gold River as our gateway to the other main corridor of Strathcona Provincial Park – the Buttle Lake area.

Once arriving, we were happy to see that unlike Mount Washington, there was no snow and the temperatures were much milder. For a couple of days, we explored much of the shorter trails that wind through the Buttle Lake area. There we saw some beautiful waterfalls tucked amongst the untouched ancient old-growth forest.

One rainy day we even took a drive down a 70km logging road to reach the village of Tahsis. Once a booming logging town with over 2500 residents, the town now has only 370ish year-round residents after the mill closed in 2001. What we found there wasn’t much aside from a beautiful and protected body of water known as the Tahsis Inlet.

Buttle Lake in Strathcona Provincial Park

Bella hanging out at Buttle Lake in Strathcona Provincial Park

Port McNeill/Port Hardy/Telegraph Cove

One of the ideas behind this trip was to check out most of Vancouver Island from top to bottom. Getting to the top meant heading towards Port McNeill & Port Hardy. Before we made our way to the Port villages, we made a quick stop in Telegraph Cove.

All summer, while working at Jamie’s Whaling Station in Tofino, I heard tourists mention Telegraph Cove. Naturally, my interest was heightened about this place. What we found were postcard-like surroundings where an old fishing village has been turned into a resort. At this time of year, the resort was closed down so it felt very much like a ghost town almost making it more beautiful. During the summer, Telegraph Cove is a busy spot for wildlife tours as you can take whale watching trips that frequently see killer whales.

During our two days in Port McNeill, we did some hiking but also drove down some long and winding roads to find small communities like Coal Harbour and Port Alice. While there wasn’t much happening in either destination it was still nice to travel to these beautiful tiny communities which helped give us an idea of what life is like in some of the more remote areas of Vancouver Island.

The picturesque resort of Telegraph Cove

Telegraph Cove

Port Renfrew

Having seen the northern part of Vancouver Island, it was time to check out the other end. To do so, we stayed for a few days down on the southwestern part of Vancouver Island in Port Renfrew. Like many of the other spots we visited on our vacation, Port Renfrew is a tiny village that thrived on logging for many years. Nowadays, while there is still logging in the area, it’s the trees that haven’t been chopped down that are attracting visitors to Port Renfrew.

A short drive from Port Renfrew, there are a couple of popular destinations with travellers who are searching for massive old-growth trees – Avatar Grove & Big Lonely Doug.

Avatar Grove is home to “Canada’s Gnarliest Tree” as designated by the Ancient Forest Alliance. A short uphill hike through majestic ancient old-growth forest put us in front of the gnarly tree with its massive burl a short distance up its thick trunk.

A few kilometres from Avatar Grove is Big Lonely Doug. After a drive up some old logging roads and a short trip over a somewhat frightening logging bridge, we discovered Big Lonely Doug. Unlike Avatar Grove which is flush with untouched trees, Big Lonely Doug is famous because he is the lone Douglas fir that was spared during a 2012 clear cut of the ancient old-growth forest. So there Doug stands amongst the small trees that have begun to sprout in the last 5 years. The story of Big Lonely Doug is an incredible one and we highly recommend you read this article by the Walrus that wonderfully details the history behind Doug.

Big Lonely Doug near Port Renfrew

Canada's "Gnarliest" Tree at Avatar Grove

Bella wandering through Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew

Sooke

While we were staying in Port Renfrew, we decided to take the short trip to Sooke. I’ve heard many people mention how much they love Sooke and that next Tofino, it’s their favourite spot on Vancouver Island.

Even though we only had one day to explore, we got a pretty good glimpse of what Sooke offers. We did a couple of short hikes including the Sooke Potholes and a short hike on the Galloping Goose Trail to the Charters Creek Trestle.

It was on the trestle where we had a fun little encounter with wildlife. As we were walking back along the trestle towards our vehicle I noticed a couple hundred of meters ahead of us two big black blobs on the trail. Sure enough, there was a mama and cub black bear. Kate and Bella had failed to see them and they were walking ahead of me so naturally, I stopped, and whisper-yelled, “Kate! Bear!” Quickly, her and Bella stopped in their tracks and we stopped to watch the bears. The bears took a quick look at us but didn’t really seem to care about us which was a relief. Seeing as there was only one way to our vehicle we had to wait about ten minutes until the bears carried on into the forest before retreating to our truck.

Charters Creek Trestle near Sooke

While Vancouver Island is one large island, we were fortunate enough over our two-week vacation to cover a good chunk of it. One thing that we both learned from the trip is how lucky we are to be able to call Tofino our home. All the stops we made on our journey were fabulous but it became obvious to us both that there really is no place on Vancouver Island – possibly Canada – like Tofino. With pretty much all of the daily amenities that you need, combined with being in a beautiful remote area full of outdoor adventure around every corner it truly is hard to beat Tofino. That being said, it’s hard to beat Vancouver Island as a whole. The enormous trees and rugged coastline make for a tremendous landscape to traverse and we highly recommend you come explore someday.